Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens!

When you set out to mess with someone, make sure the prank suits them.

Oscar was incredibly confident in his looks, so make him go bald and hit him where it hurt.

Ning Rongrong cared a lot about her appearance, so make her look like a complete mess.

So how could he tailor the pranks for Ma Hongjun and Zhu Zhuqing?

And he couldn't go too hard on Zhu Zhuqing. He still had to make it fun.

Good grief.

If there wasn't enough of a challenge, he'd just have to create one!

But Zhu Zhuqing was genuinely tricky to deal with, so he'd start with Ma Hongjun.

After turning the matter over in his mind, Zhang Tianyu had already come up with a plan to deal with Ma Hongjun.

Didn't Ma Hongjun often get worked up by his Evil Fire?

Didn't he have to find girls to put it out?

Didn't he do it three or four times a day?

Didn't he pride himself on being incredibly potent?

Fine!

Then he'd make him even more "potent"!

Looking at the item he'd just redeemed for a trial, now resting quietly in his inventory, Zhang Tianyu broke into a satisfied grin.

Time always seemed to pass more slowly when he cultivated with Xiao Wu.

Fortunately, Xiao Wu had returned to her dormitory after lunch,

so the afternoon passed quickly.

Evening.

Everyone gathered on the training grounds.

Oscar was drenched in sweat and panting heavily.

Ning Rongrong was also glistening with sweat, looking exhausted.

When he'd read the novel and watched the anime, he hadn't noticed it.

Now that he'd seen her in person, he realized Ning Rongrong was quite the actress.

If he hadn't checked her location on the Marauder's Map during the day, he really wouldn't have guessed from her current appearance that she hadn't gone running.

"Oscar, did you finish your twenty laps?" Flender's gaze was sharp enough to make anyone afraid to meet his eyes.

Oscar coughed, caught his breath, and said, "Dean, I finished."

Flender snorted. "I asked whether you finished, not whether he did."

Oscar turned to look at Ning Rongrong. She was looking back at him too, her beautiful eyes filled with the reflected gleam of a bald head.

Oscar clenched his teeth and nodded. "Yes, we both finished."

Flender smiled slyly and patted Oscar on the shoulder with his right hand.

"I admire your spirit of camaraderie. Since that's the case, go run another twenty laps and show me just how deep that camaraderie runs. No dinner until you finish. I've sealed your Soul Power, so don't even think about undoing it. Go."

Oscar said nothing. With a shining bald head gleaming like a lightbulb, he silently ran off.

Flender looked at everyone. "...Lying is the worst of all virtues. I hope you understand that."

Everyone hurriedly nodded.

Zhang Tianyu nodded on the outside, but scoffed inwardly.

Lying was the worst virtue? Anyone who believed that was an idiot.

Just look at all the people who were doing well these days. Which of them told the truth all the time?

Of course, telling lies every chance you got wouldn't work either. That was just asking for trouble.

If you really wanted to get ahead, you had to speak one way to people and another to ghosts.

Finally, Flender turned to Ning Rongrong. "Tell me, did you complete the training I assigned this morning?"

From his expression, Ning Rongrong could tell he'd already seen through her. She simply stopped pretending. After a few exchanges with Flender, her true nature as a little witch came spilling out.

"Flender, who do you think you are? You're nothing but a lowly Soul Saint!"

At that, everyone was stunned all over again!

Good grief!

The new students this year were fierce!

Tang San had cursed Flender during the day,

and now Ning Rongrong was talking back to him at night.

Was picking fights with the dean the trend this year or something?

But since Ning Rongrong hadn't used any actual profanity like Tang San, Flender wasn't quite as angry.

He simply unleashed a harsh string of words, cutting Ning Rongrong down.

"Everyone here is more talented than you! Dai Mubai is fifteen and level thirty-seven. He was only thirteen when he reached Soul Elder!"

"And look at this one. This one's even more impressive!" Flender pointed at Zhang Tianyu. "He's only twelve, yet he's already a Soul Elder, no less impressive than Dai Mubai. Can you compare?"

Ning Rongrong glanced at Zhang Tianyu. She was genuinely impressed by him.

His level and strength spoke for themselves.

But she wasn't convinced about the others. "What about Oscar? Surely I'm better than him! He's a support-type Soul Master too, just a lowly food-type one. He can't be better than me, can he?"

"You're wrong. Oscar is a food-type Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power!"

"What?" Ning Rongrong was deeply shocked. "How could a support Martial Soul have Innate Full Soul Power?"

"Do you understand now? You're at the bottom here! Aside from your family background, there's nothing you can match the others in!"

His words struck Ning Rongrong like a bolt from the blue, shattering the pride she'd always carried in her heart.

She couldn't take it anymore. With a loud wail, she turned and ran off.

"Let her go and think things over on her own. The rest of you, come with me!"

On the road to Suotuo City, Flender moved quickly.

In the original story,

Dai Mubai followed right behind him, then Zhu Zhuqing, Tang San and Xiao Wu, and finally Ma Hongjun.

But now,

Zhang Tianyu was flying on his sword right beside Flender.

Flender glanced at him, then suddenly sped up, leaving Dai Mubai and the others far behind in an instant.

He looked pleased with himself. "Hmph, boy, let's see you keep up with me!"

"Huh? What did you say, Dean?"

"Holy crap!" Flender jumped in fright and whipped his head to the side. Only then did he realize Zhang Tianyu was still following calmly beside him!

"Dean, should we slow down a little? They can't keep up," Zhang Tianyu kindly reminded him.

"I know! I don't need you to tell me!" Flender rolled his eyes and slowed down.

Only after another dozen seconds did Dai Mubai and the others finally catch up, huffing and puffing.

They raced all the way to the south gate of Suotuo City. Flender and Zhang Tianyu were completely at ease, while everyone else was a little out of breath.

The distance wasn't far. They were just going so fast that the intense exercise was almost too much for them.

"Your first class will be held over there."

At a roadside tea stall inside Suotuo City, Flender pointed toward the massive Soul Arena in the distance.

Then Flender introduced everyone to the Great Soul Arena and its Soul Fighting Badge rankings, before concluding:

"Your task is to earn a Silver Spirit Fighting Badge before you graduate!"

"Yes, Dean!"

Everyone answered in unison. Dai Mubai had already told them about it, so no one found it strange.

Dai Mubai then explained some of the rules and tactics of Soul Fighting. By the time he finished, it was about time to go, so they got up and headed for the Great Soul Arena.

First, they completed the Soul Power tests and registered.

Zhang Tianyu and Xiao Wu would naturally form a doubles team.

He'd already thought of a name for them.

Of course, this time it wouldn't be [Battle Spirit Sky Dance],

but

[Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens]!

Come on, let's hear you make some noise!